A crash during today's Supersport race at Assen robbed Fuchs Kawasaki's Andrew Pitt of any chance of retaining the World Championship title he won for Kawasaki in 2001.

Determined to make up for his fourth row starting position, Pitt scythed his way aggressively through the field in the first two laps, eventually latching onto the back of the leading group of riders. Outgunned down Assen's long straights, the Australian was forced to pull off some audacious overtaking manoeuvres at the final chicane, in order to stay on terms with the race leaders.

Six laps in and Pitt was looking good to challenge for a podium position, before a collision with another rider forced the Fuchs Kawasaki star off the circuit and caused him to crash heavily. After receiving medical attention at the side of the track, Pitt was evacuated to the circuit medical centre; where he declared himself battered, bruised and disappointed, but otherwise uninjured.

'After practice and qualifying, I knew I was going to have to go real hard here if I was to stay on terms with the race leaders,' said a dejected Pitt. 'The only way I could make up ground lost on the straight was by putting in some aggressive passes in the turns, and I was managing to hang in there during the early part of the race. Everything was looking good for a move through the pack in the latter stages - when tyres had started to go off and people were tiring - but then I collided with another rider; Corradi I think it was. Pushed off the track by the collision, I couldn't hold onto the bike and down I went.'

'With Foret winning the race, there's now no way I can retain my title at Imola. Losing the championship is disappointing enough, but to lose it because of a crash just makes it even more frustrating. I started out this season determined to win as many races as I could, and that hasn't changed. We've got one more race left at Imola, and I'll be trying just as hard to win that as I did the first race of the year,' he added.

James Ellison looked set to score more championship points at Assen this afternoon, until the race was red flagged after 11 of the scheduled 16 laps, while the 20-year-old Fuchs Kawasaki rider was lying in sixteenth place.

Having fought his way up from 21st position on the grid, Ellison was preparing to move past the three rider battle in front of him when the race was stopped, following a crash involving six riders at the final chicane.

'I really could have done without that red flag,' said Ellison. 'The two riders in front of me had definitely started to tire, and I was just looking for the opportunity to pass them when the race was stopped. It was hard work out there today, which makes finishing out of the points all the more disappointing.'